Multicolor printing press



Oct. 4, 1932.-

INVENTOR fl Mz 171 200? ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES.

PATE'E OFFICE ALLAN r. runox, orsoUrH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY MULTICOLOR PRINTING' PRESS Application filed August 6, 1931. Serial No. 555,451.

drag thereon or irregular resistance during movement tending to warp and wrinkle the same.

The objects of the present invention include ,means consisting of a rotatably mounted cylindrical sheet-carrier provided with grippers and geared to pass in printing relation between the members of the several couples, the rotary engagement of the carrier surface over the entire bearing face of the sheets serving in part to relieve the strain upon the gripper actions and insuring the advancement of the sheets upon the carrier at a speed common with that of the printing speed without disturbing its adjustment with respect thereto. 1

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Referring to the drawing in which similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a printing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2, a transverse vertical section taken through the machine.

Figure 3, an enlarged transverse sectional view taken in side elevation of fragmental portions of a printing couple and showing nection with the sheet-carrier, the impression cylinder and the sheet-carrier being partially shown in section.

Numerals 5 and 6 of the drawing show respectively the front and rear frames of the press transversely connected together by cross-braces 7 and upon the lower pair of the latter is fixed a work-platform 8. Projecting lengthwise fromthe opposite frames,

upper and lower brackets are provided re spectively indicated by 9 and 10, and slidably mounted upon said brackets are bearing frames 9a and 10a adapted to rotatably support the several plate cylinders 11, which latter operatively engage the opposite impression cylinders 12, rotatable in the opposite side'frames 5 and 6, and jointly rotated for printing movement by their respective outer gears 13,'shown by dotted lines in Fig. e

2 and by full lines in Fig. 1.

For driving the main press and the latter gears a stub-shaft 1 1 is provided at its inner end with a bearing mounted in the rear frame 6 and at its outer end with a'bearing 15, and between the bearings a driving pulley 16 is'fixed to the sl1a.ftand adapted to be rotated from a source of power in an approved manner. Also upon the shaft 14 a relatively small gear 17 is fixed that en gages on its opposite sides with the intermediate gears 18 leading to the gears 13 of the lower printing couples which latter gears in turn engage a second set of intermediates 19 which intermesh with the gears 13 of the the circular path extending at its lower portion to include a sheet-feeding cylinder 38', and a delivery cylinder 39 for the printed sheets. Centrally disposed within the circular printing path of the couples is a sheetcarrier, generally indicated by20, and comprising a pair of gear-rings 21 laterally spaced apart and fixedly secured together by live cross-braces 23 equally spaced, around therings in accordance with the correspond ing spacing of the printing couples. Within the cross-braces are mounted a series of printed matter.

sheet-grippers 24 adjustably secured by screws upon the gripper-shafts 25 rotatably supported in the opposite gear-rings and operable in the usual manner as indicated by the lever 26, shown in Fig. 4. Fixed upon the cross-braces and rotatable therewith is a flexible sheet-carrying plate 27 having its outer surface alined in the. circular printing path of the couples, and composed of suitable material, as spring metal or other fibrous substances, and adapted to effect-a driving engagement over the entire inner surface of the sheets to be printed. For furtherincreasing the driving effect upon the latter, exterior supply pipes 28 are arranged adjacent thereto and adapted to discharge heated air or other fluid pressure against the exterior printed surface ofthe sheets'that serves both to press the same against the carrier plate and effect adrying action upon the For the rota-ti've support of the sheet-carrier a ser es of ,dlsk rollers29 are ournaled upon studs 30, fixed 1n the opposite frames 1 0 and 6 of the press, the rollers being ari ranged to engage the inner edge surfaces of the gear-rings2l and laterally guide the same by side flanges projecting from the rollers. And for rotating the carrier the gear-rings are provided with external gear teeth engaged by gears 22 fixed upon the opposite shaft-ends of the several plate cylinders 11, thus distributing the driving movement at several points around 'the gear-ring. In the rotation of the carrier, the several gripper- *bars 23 thereof, engagein clear relation the usual recesses 31 formed in the impression cylinders 12-, as shown in Fig. 3, in which the ends ofthe blanket covering andmake-ready portions of-these cylindersare indicated at 32 as provided with the ordinary and take-up connections 33 and 34:, mounted in conven tional manner. Also asindicate'd in the latter figure, the inner surface of the cyl ndrical and flexible sheet-carrying plate 27 engages the resilient coverings of the several impression cylinders successively, perforations 35 being formed in the plate to receive the operating ends of the grippers 9/1 that engage and hold the leading edges of the sheets 36 uponsaid plate to receive the impressions befed in well-known manner to thegrippers of the transfer cylinder 38 which are timed to co-operate with the carrier-bar grippers 2 the latter retainlng the sheets throughout their continuous passage between the members of the several printing couples, where by super mposed impressions in different colors maybe made thereon, and the prlnted v sheets removed from the'press by the delivtherewith as-afiording desirable means of working up the ink distribution upon the printing plates prior to their regular printing operation;

I claim: V

1. In a printing press, a plurality ofprint ingcouples disposed to present a circular printing path, and a ,rotatably mounted cylindrical sheetcarrier movable between the membersof said couples and having its outer surface alined insaid printing path. 7

2. In a printing press, a plurality of printing couples disposed topresent a circular printing path, a rotatably. mounted cylindrical sheet-carrier movable between the members of said couples and having its outer surface alined in said printing path, means for feeding sheets to said carrler, and means for delivering the printed sheets. v

3. In'a printing press, aplurality of printing couples disposed to present a circular printing path, a rotatably mounted cylindri-v cal sheet-carrier movable between the members of said couples andhaving its outer surface alined in said printing path, inking. devices for said printing couples, and means for detachably' engaging the respective members of said printing couples. 4c. :Ina printingpress, a pluralityof printing couples disposed to present-a circular printing path, a rotatably mounted cylina drical, sheet-carrier movable betwee'n the members of saidcouples and having its outer surface. alined in said printing path, means for feeding sheets thereto, and means for applying a fluid substance to the printed surfaces of said sheets.

5. In a printing press, a plurality of printing couples disposed. to present a circular printing path,fand, a flexible sheet-carrying plate cylindrically arranged and rotatable betweenthe members of said printing couples and havingits outer surface alined in said printing path.

6. In a printing press, a printing couple having an outer platecylinder', an inner impress-ion cylinder provided with an outer flexible facing, and a flexible sheet-carrying plate. cylindrically', arranged and rotatable.

between the membersof said printing couple,

carrying plate engaging the flexible facing of said impression cylinder.

7 In a printing press, a plurality of printing couples disposed to present a circular printing path, inking devices of different colors provided for said couples, and a rotatably 'mounted cylindrical sheet-carrier movable erally carried by said printing couples of engaging the teeth of said gear-rings.

9. In a printing press, a printing couple having an outer plate cylinder, an inner impression cylinder, a cylindrical sheet-carrier rotatable in a circular printing path extending between the members of said printing couple, and sheet-grippers operatively mounted on said carrier and adapted to engage the leading edge of a sheet.

10. In a printing press, a sheet-carrier comprising a pair of rings transversely spaced apart by brace members, grippers carried by said brace members, a cylindrical sheet-carrying plate mounted on said brace members, and sheet-grippers mounted on said brace members and operativelyengaging said sheetcarrying plate.

11. In a printing press, a printing couple having co-operating plate and impression cylinders, and a rotatably mounted cylindrical sheet-carrier movable between said cylinders and having an outer surface disposed to fully support and advance a sheet for printing engagement.

12. In a printing press, a printing couple having co-operating plate and impression cylinders, a rotatably mounted cylindrical sheet-carrier movable between said cylinders and having an outer surface disposed to fully support and advance a sheet for printing engagement, and means for directing fluid pressure against the outer surface of the sheet.

13. In a multicolor printing press, a plurality of printing couples having each c0-opcrating plate and impression cylinders, a rotatably mounted cylindrical sheet-carrier movable between the cylinders of said couples and having an outer surface disposed to fully support and advance a sheet for printing engagement by said couples.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 5th day of August A. D. 1931.

ALLAN F. TURCK. 

